BALTIMORE, Md. – Keith Gabriel had 30 points, Stan Okoye had a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds and the VMI Keydets moved to 2-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season, as they defeated the UMBC Retrievers 94-77 in non-conference basketball action Sunday afternoon in Baltimore, Md.

After a nip-and-tuck first half that featured seven ties and eight lead changes, UMBC took a two-point lead four minutes into the second half, thanks to an old-fashioned three-point play by Justin Fry, giving the home team a 45-43 edge. Just 12 seconds later, Okoye answered with a three-point play of his own, sparking a 17-6 run and giving the Keydets the lead for good.

The win gave VMI its first 2-0 mark to start a season under head coach Duggar Baucom, while UMBC dropped to 0-1 on the young season. The Keydets shot 8 of 14 from three-point range in the second half, and 19 for 30 (63%) overall, en route to outscoring UMBC 56-42 during that period and pulling away for the victory. VMI won despite the absence of leading returning scorer Austin Kenon as well as freshman D.J. Covington, and also prevailed in spite of grabbing just five steals on the night.

Neither squad could get the advantage early, as the lead changed hands five times in the opening five-plus minutes. A Nick Gore three-pointer gave VMI the lead, 15-13, at 14:22, but the Retrievers scored the next four markers and took a 17-15 lead at the 13:07 mark.

Okoye answered with a bucket for VMI, and the back-and-forth play continued from there, with neither side able to get larger than a three-point cushion until the clock read 6:05, when Okoye scored once again to make it 30-26, Keydets. UMBC was able to close that margin by one over the final six minutes of the half, and send the contest to the locker room down by only three, 38-35.

Gabriel shot the ball very well in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 16 points on 4 of 7 shooting, despite playing just nine minutes. Okoye had 10 points and six rebounds, while Stephen Sargent also grabbed six boards in the first half of play.

The home team came out for the second half ready, as Travis King scored the period's first five points and UMBC took a 40-38 lead. After two VMI baskets gave the Keydets a three-point edge, UMBC scored a lay-up to set the stage for the exchange of three-point plays and the game-turning 17-6 run, which culminated with two Okoye free throws and a 60-51 Keydet lead with 10:27 to go.

The Retrievers climbed back within six on a Laurence Jolicoeur three-pointer with 8:14 left, but Gore answered with a three at the other end, and the Keydet lead was no lower than eight the rest of the way. Freshman point guard Rodney Glasgow had all nine of his points in the final 6:07 and Gabriel had 10 markers over that same time, helping quell any hopes of a UMBC rally and assure the VMI victory.

Okoye's 14 rebounds equaled his career high and gave him his ninth career double-double, while Gabriel notched his four-career 30+ point game and had his highest output since Feb. 13, when he hung 32 on UNC Asheville. In addition to Okoye and Gabriel, Gore and Ron Burks were also in double-figure scoring, with 14 and 11 points respectively. Those two players combined to shoot 6 of 11 from distance, including 3 of 4 in the deciding second half. Finally, the Keydets outrebounded the home team 41-39, marking the second straight game VMI had grabbed more caroms than its opponent, a feat the Keydets did not achieve once last season.

UMBC posted five players in double figures, led by Jolicoeur with 16 points. Fry chipped in 15, while Chase Plummer had 13 points on the night. Chris De La Rosa had seven points and nine assists in the losing effort. 

VMI basketball will return to action Tuesday, as the Keydets bid for their first 3-0 start since 1985-86 and play host to UVA Wise at Cameron Hall. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

VMI Head Coach Duggar Baucom

“I felt the pace was what we wanted for the game, even in the first half. I told our guys at halftime that they did a good job with the tempo and we just needed to keep doing what we needed to do.

“We had a lot of guys step up and hit some big shots. Keith got us going early and kept it going and Stan Okoye converted some big buckets.”

“It's not east to win on the road and we were able to put together another strong second half. We were two starters down again, so credit the guys who put it together today.”

“Nick Gore and Steve Sargent gave us solid minutes and those guys really helped. Rodney Glasgow stepped up big in the second half. I was really pleased with the way we were able to defend their point guards.”